Intervention
by windingROAD14
Summary: "Everything happens for a reason. And sometimes, you just need a little push. When you don't ask for help, the universe can intervene and give it to you anyway." A fanfic that explores a new beginning for Tiva.
1. Chapter 1

**I had an idea of a way for Tiva to begin an actual relationship. They just need a little help ;) Let me know what you think!**

* * *

It was a normal day in the orange squad room. Gibbs was out for another cup of coffee, and McGee and Tony were busy at work. Another desk, however, had remained suspiciously empty all morning.

"McGee, have you heard from Ziva?" Tony asked, concerned. McGee noticed.

"No, actually, now that I think about it, no. No I haven't." McGee was equally as concerned now. "Do you want me to track her phone?"

He thought Tony would hesitate, but the severity of the situation made even him drop the act.

"Do it. Now."

McGee went right to work. As he did this, Gibbs walked in.

"DiNozzo, what's with the face?" Nothing could ever get by Gibbs.

"It's Ziva," he wasted no time. "We haven't heard from her all day."

Gibbs was instantly furious. "And why exactly am I just finding out about this now, DiNozzo?"

"Originally we thought she was just running a little late. We thought we'd cover for her. But she still hasn't made contact-"

"It's her phone," McGee interrupted. "It's off. I can't track it." He was obviously worried.

Gibbs was beginning to look concerned too. DiNozzo walked towards his desk.

"Boss?" He questioned.

"Go."

With Gibbs' okay, Tony grabbed his coat and was at the elevator in a flash. McGee looked at Gibbs, his concern apparent on his even more than normal pale face.

**TWENTY-FIVE MINUTES LATER**

When the elevator dinged, McGee and Gibbs looked up instinctively. And they were instantly relieved.

"Ziva!" McGee and Gibbs immediately jumped out of their chairs and walked towards the no-longer-missing agent.

"I am so sorry I am late," Ziva exclaimed. "I had a crazy morning. I went for a run and it began to pour like rats and dogs-"

"Cats and dogs," McGee corrected.

"Whatever! Anyway, as it rained I was still about three miles away from my apartment, so by the time I got back, my phone was dead, and then-"

"Ziva," Gibbs cut off her rambling, obviously aggravated. "Where's DiNozzo?"

"Tony?" Ziva was evidently confused. "What do you mean? He has not been at work?"

"Ziva, he went to find you. He left about a half hour ago," McGee answered. "We were worried about you."

"No need to worry, McGee. I am _fine_," she responded.

"Well, now that we're all caught up, would you all mind if we worked on our case?" said Gibbs, sarcastically.

"Sorry, boss," McGee and Ziva answered simultaneously.

"Good. And call DiNozzo, we need all hands on deck.

"On it, boss." McGee went to work, while Ziva put her jacket down, something she hadn't had the chance to do since she stormed in late.

As the team gathered their things to prepare for the case, Gibbs realized Tony had still not resurfaced. However, due to Ziva's late arrival, they couldn't wait any longer.

"We have to get going," he said forcefully. "DiNozzo can catch up with us. Someone text him the address."

And with that, the team grabbed their gear and headed off. McGee made sure to text Tony in the process:

_Tried calling you- Ziva's OK. On our way to the case, meet us there ASAP._

The case was pretty routine. A petty office had been shot at a base in Virginia earlier that morning. The team went about its normal business, taking crime scene photos and interviewing his family. However, there was one important difference- Tony had never shown up.

Gibbs was obviously furious the entire afternoon. Ziva, McGee, even Ducky knew to stay out of his way. They worked quickly and efficiently, as quietly as any of them had ever worked a case. When they were done, they quickly loaded their cars and left.

Gibbs drove Ziva and McGee. Their ride home was silent, until Gibbs broke it.

"He ever text you back, McGee?"

"No, boss. I called him twice in the squad room after Ziva showed up and texted him when we were leaving." McGee left out the five text messages he sent Tony at the crime scene:

_We're here. Where are you?_

_You're late. Boss is pissed._

_Tony you need to get here NOW._

_TONY._

_You owe us. Big time._

Despite the numerous messages and phone calls, Tony had not responded. While the rest of the team figured he was pulling another one of his cheesy pranks or class clown acts, Gibbs had grown concerned. While it was unacceptable for any of his agents to be late, especially miss a crime scene, he knew it wasn't like them. Either of them. And something in his gut told him that this time, something was definitely not right.


	2. Chapter 2

**There's more to come, so let me know what you think!**

* * *

When they returned, they walked in silence back to the squad room. Ziva was hoping to see Tony at his desk, with some excuse like she had used earlier in the day. She felt a bit guilty, knowing he would've been here if it hadn't been for her absence, but she wasn't too concerned. They each covered for each other all of the time. This was no different.

But as they walked off the elevators, they instantly knew something was very wrong.

For starters, Vance was in the squad room waiting for them, which was never a good sign. It rarely happened, actually, which is what made them stop dead in their tracks.

Ziva's stomach dropped. Tony was not at his desk

When Vance noticed the team's arrival, he immediately made a beeline to Gibbs, who matched his rapid paced and met him halfway. Gibbs didn't need to ask what happened. His harsh look said it all.

"There's been an accident." Vance looked down at the floor for a second, something he did not often do in matters of harsh news. But this was different. This hit home.

"Tony..." Ziva was first to react. Her tone gave her away. She was petrified.

"Where is he?" Gibbs response was more of a statement than a question. He was already moving.

"Washington Hospital Center, ICU. He was taken there about an hour ago…" Gibbs had already started toward the elevator, quickly followed by Ziva and McGee.

"Wait-" Vance stopped them, but Gibbs knew where he was going already.

"We're all going, Leon. You can't stop us." And with that, Vance watched the elevator doors close as the three agents prepared to meet their family.

* * *

Waiting. Patience was not one of Ziva David's virtues, but someone above was certainly testing her. They had been waiting almost two hours already while Tony was in surgery.

The car ride was a blur. While speeding to the hospital, Gibbs made a few frantic phone calls to try and fill in the gaps. Ziva could only hold on to bits and pieces. There was a car accident. Driver ran a red light. Driver's side. Never would have saw it coming. Fire. Fireman cut him out of the car. Unconscious, severely injured. He was looking for her. He was looking for her. Looking for _her_.

It was her fault. That is the part that she ran in her head on her loop, with the image of Tony, _Tony_, lying helpless and unconscious, bloody, trapped in a burning car. And now he was intensive emergency surgery. For what damage, at this point, they were unaware. There were too many problems to keep track of.

If he died she would not be able to live with herself. She would not be able to live.

_Couldn't live without you, I guess. Couldn't live without you, I guess. Couldn't live without you, I guess._


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you all for the positive responses! I really appreciate it :) Please keep letting me know what you think!**

* * *

The team was exhausted. They hadn't left to eat or sleep since they arrived at the hospital. It was hard to get answers out of the doctors and Gibbs was getting more and more frustrated. He understood they were doing their jobs, but couldn't someone stop for a minute and give him some damn answers?

He had been in this place, at least mentally, plenty of times before. Somalia, the plague, the bombing, that damn elevator

But this time felt different. At first, he couldn't put a finger on it, but then he slowly understood. This accident was human. Somalia was on another continent. A special operation. The plague was, well, the plague. And the bombing. All were such extenuating circumstances, things that were extreme occurrences. This? This was _normal_.

Anthony DiNozzo was in a car accident. A potentially deadly car accident. The whole team felt how real this was. How at any moment, something could happen to any of them. Sure, they dealt with liars, killers, even terrorists, on a semi-consistent basis. But for something as simple as a car accident to take out one of their best agents? It felt surreal. It felt inadequate.

A doctor walked out, and the three immediately stood: Gibbs, stoic on the outside but worried on the inside, McGee, looking as tired and pale as ever, and Ziva, remnants of silent tears still shining on her face.

"We stopped the bleeding in his brain," he said. "That was the most pressing problem. He's unconscious and we won't know the repercussions until he wakes up. Now we will be monitoring him for swelling and further possible bleeds."

Ziva's silent tears had started falling again.

"As for the rest of the damage, we've done the best we could. His body has been through a great deal of trauma and we can't do anything more without putting him into shock. He miraculously only suffered minor burns, which we dealt with. He also suffered three broken ribs and a spinal cord injury-"

"A spinal cord injury?" Gibbs interrupted.

"Yes, unfortunately. When the car spun out and Mr. DiNozzo was thrown through the windshield, he-"

"What?!" Ziva yelled and gasped simultaneously. She lowered herself slowly back into the waiting room chair that was luckily right behind her. McGee sat next to her and put his arm around her to comfort her, having to remain stable himself.

"We were told he was trapped in the car," Gibbs said.

"No, I'm sorry," continued the doctor. "The other driver was the one stuck in the car. The fire department had to cut him out of his vehicle. Mr. DiNozzo was thrown through his windshield following the impact. Right now, he is not responding to painful stimuli below his abdomen…" The doctor paused. The three teammates had obviously glazed over with this new information that had been thrown at them.

"Listen, only time will tell with these injuries. Right now, I would suggest you all go home and get some rest. We will contact you as soon as he wakes up."

McGee spoke for the first time since the doctor had arrived. "But you think he will wake up?"

The doctor sighed. "We're hopeful. It's up to Mr. DiNozzo now."


End file.
